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HDNet Brings Back The Dead

Dallas — HDNet said it will bring the critically acclaimed dark comedy “Dead Like Me” back from the dead (at least as reruns), and will raise “Joan of Arcadia” from the ashes at the same time.

The two series, which had developed devoted cult audiences for their somewhat twisted plotlines and strong casts, were canceled in 2005, but will return as reruns on HDNet in high-definition splendor this spring, the network said.

“Dead Like Me,” which stars Mandy Patinkin and Ellen Muth, had a strong debut season when it originally debuted on Showtime as a weekly series in 2003 and 2004. The show stumbled, somewhat, after its creator Bryan Fuller left the series midway through the first season due to creative differences with series producer MGM. The show was eventually dropped by Showtime after its second season, much to the dismay of its loyal viewers, who campaigned for months to various networks to have the show picked up and restarted.

A spokesman for HDNet said the high-definition network, which was launched by maverick billionaire Mark Cuban, has not yet fully revived a series, opting to show only reruns of former classic series.

The show focuses on an 18-year-old college dropout named Georgia “George” Lass, who is struck and killed by a toilet seat dropped out of the MIR space station. She doesn’t realize she’s dead until she meets Rube Sofer (Mandy Patinkin), the leader of a team of grim reapers and is informed she can’t move to the next level until her earthly soul removal quota is filled.

She then returns to the Pacific Northwest, where along with her fellow reapers, Mason (Callum Blue), Roxy (Jasmine Guy) and Daisy (Laura Harris), she proceeds to help those who are about to die cross over into the afterlife.

“Dead Like Me” will air back-to-back, commercial-free episodes every Wednesday, beginning at 8:30 pm ET on May 3rd.

“Joan of Arcadia,” meanwhile, drew legions of loyal viewers when it was featured on CBS Network, starring veteran actors Mary Steenburgen and Joseph Mantegna. The show starred Emmy Award nominated Amber Tamblyn as Joan Girardi, a teenager who is repeatedly visited by God taking the form of various pedestrians that give her assignments to help those around her.

“Joan of Arcadia” will air in back-to-back episodes every Monday on HDNet, beginning at 9 p.m. ET on May 1st.